Visitors to the Castillo de San Marcos can experience history come to life at the Castillo's annual 1740 Siege Night event, “Enemy at the Gates," on Friday, December 6, 2019. The special tour features living history demonstrations depicting the fort as it would have been under the 1740 British siege.

30-minute tours will take visitors through the different stations at the fort as the reenactors prepare for the oncoming attack from British General James Oglethorpe. These tours begin at 6:45, 7:00, 7:15, 7:45, and 8:00 p.m.

Several stations are set up inside the Castillo where volunteers in period dress will interpret how the Spanish prepared for the siege. There will be a British headquarters station, British look-out station, Spanish Governor’s headquarters station, a supply room station, a medical room station, and a soldier’s quarter’s station. Staff and volunteers in 18th-century period clothing will reenact both the historical event, as the Spanish defend the Castillo from the British, and what it was like for the people in town as the cannon fire away to attack the British forces.

History behind the 1740 Oglethorpe Siege: British forces from Georgia and South Carolina occupied Anastasia Island, Point Quartell and Fort Mose. British General James Oglethorpe laid siege and was poised to run the Spanish from St. Augustine. Citizens were terrified about the possibility of losing their homes. All townspeople clung to the hope that the Spanish forces would strike a blow from the Castillo that would send the English invaders away. The siege took place between June and July of 1740, and was part of a larger conflict known as the War of Jenkins’ Ear between Spain and Britain.

Admission: $15.00 per adult ages 16 and up, $5.00 per child ages 5 to 15, and free for children under 5. Tickets go on sale two weeks prior to the event, and are available on a first come, first served basis. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Castillo ticket booth or by calling (904) 829-6506, ext. 239. Space is limited.

When: Friday, December 6, 2019, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tour times are 6:45, 7:00, 7:15, 7:45, and 8:00 p.m.

Where: Castillo de San Marcos is located at 1 S. Castillo Drive in St. Augustine FL 32084.

For more information on this event please call (904) 829-6506 or visit here.